Jewel Thief
by Fathomless Melancholia
Summary: He's used to stealing jewels but never hearts.
1. Chapter 1

**Jewel Thief**

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**Chapter 1: Necklaces and Thievery**

I'm not going to go into a vivid rationalization on what made me do it. All I know is that one moment I was being held back by Ruka, and then suddenly I found myself standing over a pool of blood and a girl lying on the ground clutching her nose.

"You _bitch_," the girl snarled, red liquid dripping from the side of her nose, staining the collar of her tunic. One side of her face started to swell.

My knuckles felt chafed—it was an odd, but pleasant sensation. It made me want to punch her again.

By now, a crowd of commoners had started to gather around us. Some of them had just returned from their work at the fields, and sacks of hay were balanced precariously on their shoulders. Others, like mothers with young children, took one look at the scene and hurried on, shielding the eyes of the their children from witnessing the gory scene.

"Mikan, _stop_. Just stop!"

I felt arms encircling my waist and lifting me off the floor. I tried to squirm my way out of his grip, but he held on tight, preventing me from making any sudden movements.

"Ruka, let me go. I need to finish this," I said, fully aware that my voice was hoarse from all the shouting that I had done.

But Ruka's grip wouldn't budge and I could feel him shaking his head from behind me.

"It's not worth it, Mikan. Let's just get out of here."

Just as I was about to make a clever retort, I felt myself being thrown over a broad shoulder and carried away. The girl on the ground had one hand raised to her swollen cheek, and she shot me a murderous stare as I was dragged away. People from the crowd shook their fist at me and shouted obscene remarks towards my direction.

"Ruka, let me down, _this instant_," I growled, beating my fists as hard as I could on his back. Ruka kept walking, unfazed by the rhythmic thumps I was inflicting on his back. No matter how much I pleaded with him—even to the point when I tried to bargain away my possessions to him—Ruka didn't respond.

Only when we were a safe distance away from the scene did Ruka decide to put me down. Big mistake.

I pounced on him the moment I was given the chance but he sidestepped, and evaded my punch as if he were expecting it all along.

"Have you calmed down now?" he asked, throwing a leather waterbag on the ground in front of me. I grabbed the bag, twisted the cap off, and chugged the water down in greedy gulps.

He was conscious of keeping a careful distance between us. I could see that he was anticipating my every move. His tan shirt stuck closely to his broad chest and shoulders, and his hide pants rippled as he moved closer to me.

"You know I'll have to report this to the king, right? I don't think he'll like hearing about his daughter getting into another scuffle for the second time this week."

"That girl _provoked _me. I had no choice but to retaliate."

Ruka shook his head. "This is why you aren't very popular with the peasants, milady. You've got to learn to restrain yourself and use reasoning instead of your fists to solve problems."

I scoffed at the thought. "Ruka, she called the princess a 'bastard' and undeserving of the throne because of her—and I quote—'lowly' mother." Mikan huffed as she remembered the scene play out in her head. "If only that girl knew who she was speaking to! Besides, I was never popular with the common people, anyways. They never truly saw me as a rightful heir to the throne, being an illegitimate child and all."

"Regardless," Ruka's tone grew noticeably softer as he continued, "you shouldn't have done that. The girl was throwing empty threats at you, she was harmless. And besides, she couldn't very well defend herself knowing that hitting you would cost her a life in the dungeons. It wasn't even a fair fight."

I blushed at the thought. A wave of shame washed over me. I knew that he was right. "So, are you really going to tell my father?"

Despite my show of defiance, I cowered at the thought of my father finding out what I had done. He had already explicitly made it clear that if I had gotten into another brawl, my already limited freedom would be limited even further. At the moment, I wasn't even allowed to leave the castle without Ruka as an accompaniment. After this debacle, I may not even be allowed to leave the castle at all. Ever.

The thought scared me because I knew my father was not one to throw threats around lightly. Whatever he said, he meant it, and he was not afraid of carrying out his words.

Ruka scratched the back of his head and regarded me seriously. His eyebrows came together. "Well, will you promise me that this is absolutely the last time this will happen?" I nodded vigorously. I even gave him my best pouting face.

"I mean it, Mikan. This has to be the _last_ time."

"I swear to it," I said slowly. "What do you want me to do? Draw my own blood to seal the deal?" I felt around my waist for the hidden dagger and made a show of trying to retrieve it.

Ruka waved his hands out in front of him as if to stop me. "No. Your word is fine. I have faith that you'll stick to it."

I relaxed under his gaze, no longer on predatory mode. I stared down at my tightly knitted dress and found ugly splotches of mud staining all sides of the fabric. My lady-in-waiting, Misaki, would definitely not be pleased once she saw me in this state.

"Could you just tell Misaki that I fell down on a puddle of mud?"

Ruka grinned mischievously. "I will. But I don't think Misaki will be very convinced with that, considering that this is the fifth time this week you've 'fallen' into a puddle."

I didn't think Misaki would mind anyways. I always attired myself in dresses that the scullery maids wore in hopes to disguise my identity when I went out in public.. For the most part, the commoners never gave me a second glance as I had been hoping for all along.

"Come on, let's go get our horses and ride back," Ruka suggested. I trailed behind him like a lost puppy.

We walked to the outer edge of the market square, passing by busy workers who were tending to all kinds of livestock; greasy old men yelled at the top of their lungs to attract customers to their shanty booths displaying an array of vegetables; and families milled around inspecting each booth for favorable prices. Overall, it was a typical day at the market.

We passed a group of men and women bargaining for the best deals on a sack of potatoes. I could see a paunch old man in the middle of the crowd—the owner, I supposed—shouting arbitrary prices into the air and waiting to see if anyone in the crowd responded to the offer. I tried to squeeze my way through but Ruka caught the sleeve of my dress, forcing me to turn around.

I glared at him. "I just want to see what's happening."

I demanded him to let go, but he refused by telling me that it was past my curfew and that my absence would be noted. He reminded me that my father would be further displeased if he realized I had broken curfew yet again. My shoulders slacked as he started his litany of punishments.

"Okay, I get it," I mumbled sullenly.

I looked back at the crowd one last time, a wistful look in my eye. I never really got out much of the castle and when I did, I loved going to market. What seemed mundane and boring to some people like the act of browsing the vegetable booths seemed magical for me. There were rows and rows of those booths. The most exciting part was when the dealers started bargaining with prices; things always got interesting when that happened.

I peered into the growing crowd and a brightly-clad woman caught my eye. She didn't seem like a commoner—at least, she was not dressed like one. The skirt of her gown was round and full, and her bodice shimmered with tiny jewels. Her outfit accentuated her fine features, notably her violet eyes. She looked so out of place there amongst the drudgery and sludge that I wondered why she was there at all. She looked more like a princess that I ever hoped to be.

She stood on the outskirts of the crowd, watching the dealer waving his hands frantically in the air to announce that the sack of potatoes had been sold for a fine price—fifteen bronze pieces!

I narrowed my eyes. A boy, about my age, with swarthy skin approached her from behind. The malicious glint in his eyes told me that he was up to no good. Slowly, he reached around her neck just as I realized what he was about to do: he was going to steal her ruby-encrusted necklace in broad daylight. It all seemed so absurd.

Before Ruka could subdue me, I reached for my dagger tucked away under the hem of my skirt and flung it towards the thief's direction. The dagger sailed through the air but didn't quite hit its mark. Instead, it grazed his forearm and he sucked in an audible breath, using his other hand to squeeze his arm. From my vantage point, I could see him mouthing curses and looking around for the perpetrator. His jawline was taut.

"What the—" the thief exclaimed, clutching his forearm in agony.

The richly-dressed woman in front of him screamed, and for a minute, the crowd looked around and hesitated. Seeing the dagger on the floor and blood rushing down the arm of the dark-skinned boy, people began panicking and shouting. Pandemonium ensued.

Somehow, amidst all the commotion and people running amok, our eyes locked. Looking closer now, I could see that his eyes were a penetrating shade of crimson. I would have remarked that they were beautiful—mesmerizing, almost, but at that moment, they were anything but mesmerizing. They were positively murderous.


	2. Chapter 2

**Jewel Thief**

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**Chapter 2: Unexpected Family**

"And this is why I don't like leaving you alone." Ruka groaned, scanning the chaotic scene before him. "Even if it's only for a short period of time."

People were shouting and running in every direction; bags and goods were being dropped on the floor without a second glance; women and children cowered in conspicuous hiding spots; yet, no one paid me any attention.

I felt out-of-place in the midst of all the commotion. Unlike everyone else, I stood where I was as if rooted to the ground. I hadn't broken eye contact with the mysterious crimson-eyed boy who swaggered towards me. He was holding the dagger now, the metal stained with his blood. His face was spotted with dirt and his leather breeches were tattered. People recoiled around him, parting to make way for his every move.

"What'd you do this time?" Ruka asked, holding two reigns. I turned to see a couple of horses trailing behind me.

"Let's go," I said, finally finding the courage to lose the most intense staring contest I had ever been in. I reigned in the light palomino who was neighing and bucking agitatedly. Evidently, the mayhem occurring all around us did nothing to sooth the poor animal's nerves.

The boy was a good ten feet away from me, and he was closing the distance between us fast. Even though the look on his face suggested that he didn't have very good intentions, I didn't back down from his challenge. I threw him a dirty look; one that made him out to be on the same level as the dirt on the soles of my shoes.

He must've seen me mount my steed for a look of annoyance and frustration swept his features. He bolted towards me now, dagger firmly held in one hand. I saw his mouth moving and I knew he was shouting something—something unpleasant, probably—but I couldn't quite hear him over the cacophony of hoarse voices swelling throughout the market place.

"Mikan, wait a minute, what—"

I kicked my steed, and the sweet palomino gave a gruff grunt before speeding off towards the hills.

Ruka's questions were best to be answered later. If I stayed any longer, I had a gnawing feeling that I wouldn't have liked what would have happened next. The look on the boy's face—a hauntingly beautiful expression—made me shiver.

I looked over my shoulder, past Ruka, who by now, was frustrated with being left in the dark, and saw a tiny figure standing on the outskirts of the crowd, watching us. I turned my head forward again and tried to clear my head and calm the storm of thoughts racing through my mind.

After catching up to my side and pulling his horse to a canter to match my own steed's pace, Ruka demanded: "What was that all about?"

I shrugged, letting my horse slow down on his own after reaching a safe distance from the scene behind me. "I threw a dagger at a thief," I said offhandedly, hoping that if I played it coolly, Ruka would take to my example and react in the same manner.

"You, _what?_"

"Erm—I said I—"

"Never mind, I heard what you said." From the corner of my eye, I saw Ruka shaking his head. "It's just, Mikan…I don't mean to seem rude, but…could you ever, for once, not be so…headstrong?"

I puffed out my cheeks and pouted. "I am _not_ headstrong. I am"—and here I raised my chin in the air in an ostensibly dignified manner—"the paragon of docility and demureness."

Ruka let out a hearty wind of laughter. Tears started to prick his eyes as he let go of his reigns momentarily to clutch the sides of his stomach. His whole body was trembling with spasms of laughter.

I narrowed my eyebrows in annoyance. Although I knew that what I may have said was a tad bit—okay, scratch that—maybe it was a very big exaggeration, there was no need to laugh at me for it.

"A true gentleman would not laugh at a lady's remark when she's being serious." I shot Ruka the most venomous look I could muster.

"Aye, and a _docile_ and _demure _lady would not go around throwing daggers at every petty thief she sees, especially in broad daylight."

I kicked the side of my steed lightly, urging him forward so that I outpaced Ruka. I called behind me, "It's true what they say: Chivalry is dead!"

When we reached the castle, the drawbridge had been lowered for us and I directed my horse to the nearby stable. A stable boy ran up to meet me, smelling so badly of manure that it took all of my self control not to turn up my nose in disgust. The stable boy took the reigns of the horse in his grimy hands and helped me down.

Once my feet hit the ground, I realized that I was breathing rather heavily. We'd been riding for a good half hour and the rays of the sun were uncannily strong today, beating down on us like whips of fire.

"Are you okay, miss?" the stable boy inquired.

I waved him off and gave him a reassuring smile so that he would be coaxed back in to finishing his work: rallying the horses and feeding the palomino who had so kindly returned me safely. Before he disappeared from sight, I instructed the boy to give the palomino a nice sack of carrots as a snack for that evening.

There was no time to rest. A footman, clad in gilded livery, stopped in front of us. He addressed Ruka first: "Welcome back, Your Grace. Upon hearing of your arrival, I was sent to fetch you. The king has requested your presence."

I made a move to leave, making a point of not speaking to Ruka after his rankling remarks. The footman stopped me from taking any more steps.

"He's also asked for your presence, too, Your Highness."

I glanced over at Ruka who returned my expression with an equally confused look. It was unusual to be summoned so hastily after one of my excursions. Typically, I had time to prepare myself by taking a bath and donning on a simple frock, before my father requested me. Even then, I only appeared to fulfill the daily evening rituals of spending time with my father—usually recounting highlights of my day, relating to him of how my lessons with my tutors were going, and listening to his concerns about our state's affairs.

"May I at least have some time to rest?" I asked, even though I knew the answer before the footman opened his mouth.

"I'm sorry, but the king has requested I bring both of you immediately. It seemed rather urgent."

I fidgeted all the way there, twisting the skirt of my dress into spirals until we made it into the foyer. It was then that a sickening feeling washed over me: a kind of paralyzing anxiety that struck you so suddenly and so unexpectedly that it took all the breath out of you. I tried not to show it outwardly but I could tell that Ruka noticed my change in demeanor. Without saying a word, he proffered up his arm for my taking and I acceded gratefully.

"It's going to be okay, okay?" Ruka whispered, leaning in to my ear as gradually as possible as to not stir up any attention from the servants milling around us.

I could barely make myself nod, but I did. His words, although comforting, did nothing to ease off the heavy weight that had settled in my stomach.

The long, nauseating horseback ride, coupled with my anxiety over the impending meeting with my father, were a deadly combination for my nerves. I felt like throwing up.

Ruka, steadfast and calm, led me into the great hall where two guards stood alertly near the entrance. They give us a cursory glance and allowed us to pass through. The footman bowed to us just before we entered and took his leave as soon as possible, evidently not wanting to wait around and see what had aroused the king's ire.

"Your Royal Highness," Ruka said solemnly, lowering his eyes and genuflecting.

I curtsied awkwardly, fully aware that besides the two guards standing stoically outside, we were alone with my father.

"You may rise," my father said, his eyes never leaving mine.

I peered into his face more closely now, and noted how the years had worn him down: Years of war and insurgency within his own kingdom had caused deep grooves of lines to embed themselves on his forehead. His brown hair, cropped short, now showed tendrils glistening like fine threads of silver. The skin around his eyes drooped as if weighted down by all the stress and problems he had had to endure throughout his lifetime.

"Father," I began slowly, punctuating the swelling silence. In the cavernous hall, my voice echoed, though my voice was faint and weak. "Is there something wrong? It seemed odd to be summoned at such an early hour."

My father gripped on to the arm of the chair so tightly that I thought the stone would crack and explode into tiny pieces.

"I have been under much duress lately," he confessed. I could feel the tiredness laced in his voice. "With my upcoming abdication of the throne and the crowning of the new monarch, I have not had much time to relax. I would have thought that you, of all people, would have understood that the best."

I blushed in shame. Ruka, standing now, froze in place. Both of us didn't dare make a move as if we were afraid that the ground was brittle and would break under any sudden movements.

"Just this afternoon I have had groups of belligerent commoners demanding to make an appointment to see me. Something about a girl, who claimed to be the princess, launching a violent attack upon the daughter of the local florist."

I opened my mouth to retort and to explain myself, but my father raised his hand and closed his eyes, and I shut my mouth promptly.

"I relented if only to keep up the appearance of executing my kingly duties as is expected. Then, when their lengthy tirade was over, I had thought that I could retire and spend some time brooding over some important political matters before dinner was served, but that was impossible. Because you see, Mikan, shortly after, I was buffeted by hordes of complaints from people of all social castes filing a report of a 'disruption' that had gone on in the public market square today. Again, the alleged situation seemed to have been a drably-dressed girl wielding a dagger who reportedly injured a commoner."

"He wasn't a commoner. I mean, he _was_ a commoner but—"

"Enough."

He gave me a cold, detached glare; so devoid of emotion and compassion that it made me feel like a vulnerable little girl again.

"Your guilty face is enough confirmation that these events took place and that you were the perpetrator. My duke," my father turned to Ruka who had been silent all the while, "why is it you hadn't informed me immediately after the first incident took place?"

I saw Ruka fighting to keep his composure. He gave me a pitiful side glance as if to convey his apologies for what he was about to say next.

"I talked to the princess about the situation and she had promised to be on her best behavior. It was my mistake. If I had known what was to happen next, I would have kept a closer eye on her."

My heart twisted and I felt horribly guilty. Because of me, Ruka was now bearing the brunt of my father's ire.

My father considered this for a while and sighed. "What am I going to do with you, my dear?" he said to me, his face relaxed into a tender expression that I was familiar with. His eyes crinkled and his tightly pressed lips unwound themselves.

"I'm sorry, Father," I said, and I really was. "I'm sorry, Ruka, too. I didn't mean to drag you into this."

"Regardless," the king continued in his sonorous voice, "you must be punished."

A voice rang out from behind me, high and mellow: "She is innocent."

I whipped my head around at the same time Ruka did, as well. Standing a couple feet from the entrance, a girl with plaited black hair stepped forward. Her bodice shimmered with the jewels that I had entranced me just that afternoon. Her slim face and violet eyes met mine, and for a minute, I was dumbfounded.

"It's you!" I said, genuinely surprised. "The girl from the marketplace. No, not the one I beat up," I added hastily, after noticing the questioning look that my father gave me.

"We finally meet," the girl replied. She dropped into a graceful curtsey. Her fine features remained stoic. "I've been longing to meet you for so long, cousin."

_Cousin?_ I didn't have cousins, at least, none that I knew of.

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_A/N: Thank you so much for the reviews so far! I've had a lovely time writing this and hope you've had a great time reading it._


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